Grease-cup.



D. H. TWAITS.

GREASE CUP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, I914.

- Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2- SHEETSSHEET I.

JZL/E/YZUH @Mmym flaw D. H. TWAITS.

GREASE CUP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1914.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEETZ.

.52 TI -1U MHEEEEE F5 E ZTZL/Efl/UF; dad/a gm 5;

j/Mit WM W 7 COLUMBIA PLANQURAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. C.

DANIEL H. TWAITS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

, GREASE-CUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. aaiais.

Application filed February 26, 1914. Serial No. 821,166.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL H. TWAI'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grease-Cups,'of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to grease cups of a type wherein there is a body portion and a cap threaded on the same, and the object of the invention is to provide an eflicient detent means for preventingthe inadvertent rotation of the cap on the body.

A more specific object is to provide such a detent means in the form of a spring device which may be efficient in service and cheaply manufactured, said spring device being carried by the base member and adapted to en gage the interior of the cap.

Other objects will become apparent in the following description of my invention in connection with the drawings, and the essential characteristics are hereinafter set forth in the claims. 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grease cup body showing the detent springs engaging the interior of the cap member, which is sectioned for clearness of illustration; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through the base and cap members, showing one form of my spring device; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through the cap on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: shows my spring device before being bent to the form necessary for mounting in the base; Fig. 5 shows the spring mounted in a base of a .somewhat modified construction; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section similar to the section in Fig. 3 showing this base; Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the cup of a modified construction showing a detent device operating on the same principle; Fig. 8 is a side elevationiof this cup; Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a central vertical section through a similar grease cup showing a modified construction of the base; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 12 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings: 1 indicates a grease cup base having a hollow stem 3, an externally threaded portion 41 at its lower end, and an enlarged head 5 at the Upper end. This head is composed of a disk portion 7 integral with the stem, from the periphery of which rises a flange or Wall 8. This wall 8 is externally threaded to receive the internal threads 9 of a suitable grease cup cap 10. This cap is provided with suitable nurling, is indicated at 11, and may also be provided with a wing 12, which, as shown, comprises a ring from which extend integral feet 14, adapted to be secured to the top of the cap by electric welding, or by any suitable method. The grease is forced from the interior of the cup by screwing the cap downwardly onto the threaded head, thus causing the grease to flow through the stem 3 to the bearingsurfaces to be lubricated. In order to prevent the inadvertent rotatlon of the cap, therebypreventing it' becoming lost, I provide a spring detent member 15, comprising a strip 16 bent into circular form and mounted within the wall 8, resting on the disk 7 and held in place by inwardly bent lugs 18, preferably integral with the wall 8. These lugs extend over the top edge of the ring and may be bent downwardly on the inside thereof, or just extended inwardly, as shown. The ring itself is preferably diagonally slit as at 19, and may be thereby expanded and contract ed withinthe wall 8, the upper edge of the ring sliding slightly under the lugs 18. At several points along the upper edge of the ring, I provide detent fingers 20 integral therewith, bent outwardly and having beveled points 21 adapted to engage the threads of the interior of the cap. When the cap is in position, these fingers are of such a length that they cause the spring strip to contract slightly, by pressing inwardly on these fingers. This contraction being against the spring action of the strip, causes a friction on the threads at each of these points 21. It will be seen that by this arrangement the cap will be prevented from rotating appreciably in either directionat the most not more than a quarter turn-as the fingers will engage the lugs 18 and prevent the further rotation of the ring member 15. From Fig. 41 it will be seen that this spring member may be very cheaply manufactured by stamping a blank such as shown in this figure, from a single sheet or strip of spring metal, and then bending the same to fit into the wall 8. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6': This ring member is mounted in an externally threaded wall 241 similar to the wall 8 and integral with an outwardly flaring or dished detents comprise flat strip springs 30, having projecting portions 31 so shaped as to engage the threads 82 on the interior ofthe' cap 34. This cap as shown, is provided with cross nurling 35 by which itmay be turned.

As shown in this form, these spring members are integral with intermediate rings 36 adapted to} surround the upper end of the ste'm37 of the base, and they extend outwardly along a disk 88 from which rises externally threaded wall 39 adapted to receive the cap. The upper end of this stein portion is flanged outwardly as shown at 40, above the intermediate ring portions of the springs, thereby holding them securely in position. In this form the base is provided with a resilient washer 42 adapted to engage internal threads of thecap to prevent the leakage of grease, and this washer is sup ported by a metal washer43, restingon a pin 44 extend-ing through the stem and having its ends turned to one side as shown at 45, to securely hold it in position. The lower end. of this stem is'provided with external threads 4. The spring portions 30' are adapted to pressoutwardly to engage the threads, thereby providing friction adapted to prevent the inadvertent turning of the ca Iteferring to Figs. 10, 11 and 12: In this form a cap 34 such as just described, is used, which is threaded onto an. externally threaded cylindrical wall 48, integral with a disk member 49', from which is pressed a downwardly extending sleeve 50. This sleeve 50' is adapted to receive the upper end of ahollowstem 52, extending over the same and secured thereto by pressing inwardly a 7 portion of the metal, as shown at 54. Supported by the upper end of the stem 52 is a washer 55 having an intermediate offset portion 56, providing an annular pocket or seat for a resilient ring 57, adapted to engage the interior threads of the cap, to preventleakage of grease. The springs 30 in this form, a're'provided withprojections 31, as described, but instead of having inter.-

mediate ring portions surrounding the upper end of the stem, they extendinwardly to the opening through the sleeve 50, and are secured to the disk 49 in any suitable manner, as by electric welding or rivets 58, as shown. The stem in this member is externally threaded at 4, and the portion above the threaded portion is made angular, as at 60, to facilitate screwing the threaded portion 4 into the member to receive the cup. Each of the stems of the base portions heretofore described, are also made angular, for

the same reason.

From the foregoing description it- Will be ber having outwardly extending projections adaptedto engage the threads of the cap to add friction thereon.

2. In a grease cup the combination of a base having a hollow stem and an enlarged head with a vertical wall, external threads on said vertical wall, a cap threaded onto said wall, a spring detent device comprising a fiat spring having a portion substantially parallel with said wall and a portion extending outwardly over the edge thereof, and a wedge-shaped projecting portion engaging the threads on the interior of the cap.

3. In a grease cup the combination of a base member having a hollow stem and an enlarged head having an externally threaded cylindrical wall, a cap threaded onto said. cylindrical wall, and a fiat spring member comprising a circular strip lying within said wall and having projections extending outwardly from the edge thereof and adapted to engage internal threads of the cap.

4. In a grease cup the combination of a base member having a hollow stem, a disk extending outwardly from the upper end of c said stein, a vertical wall rigid with the periphery of said disk and having external.

threads, a cap threaded onto said wall, and

a spring detent device comprising a flat strip lying within said wall and having a plurality of projections extending outwardly over the edge of said wall and so shaped as to engage the threads of the cap, and means for holding the spring within said wall.

5. In a grease cup the combination of a base member having a hollow stem, an enlarged head on said base member having a vertical externally threaded wall, a cap threaded onto said wall, a spring detent device comprising a flat circular spring member lying Within said wall and parallel therewith and having integral fingers extending outwardly over the edge of said wall and engaging the threads of the cap, said spring being split at one portion and tend ing to spring outwardly, and lugs integral with the edge of said wall extending inwardly over said spring ring.

6. In a grease cup the combination of a base member having a hollow stem and a threaded head, a cap threaded onto said frictionally engage the threads of the cap.

7 In a grease cup, the combination of a base member, a cap member threaded thereon, and a spring detent device carried by one of said members and having a series of pointed projections adapted to engage the 10 grooves formed by the threads in one of said members.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

DANIEL H. TWAITS. Witnesses:

C. H. CRoNK, E. A. CRANE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

